A Brave New World for Linux Newbies
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes over at ZDNet seems to have insighted a small firestorm of debate on a recent post “Is Ubuntu becoming the generic Linux distro?” in which he observes:
“Over the past year or so I’ve noticed an increasing number of newbies (a term which I use affectionately) interested in taking Linux for a spin…The reasons for their interest in Linux are many and varied, as is the level of commitment to making the switch from Windows or Mac. However, one thing stands out from all the conversations - the number of people who seem to confuse Ubuntu for Linux.”
First off I am to a large degree a Linux newbie, however I also know that Ubuntu is just one flavour of Linux - hence the term “distro”, or distribution. For the record, Wikipedia defines distro as:
“A Linux distribution, often simply distribution or distro, is a member of the Linux family of Unix-like computer operating systems. Such systems are built from the Linux kernel and assorted other packages, such as the X Window System and software from the GNU project.”
Interestingly the source of contention does not seem to lay amongst the different Linux distros. Almost certainly these disagreements will exist, however in this context the debate is between users of Linux and users of proprietary operating systems such as Mac and Windows; and there’s some pretty ugly comments showing up. That said, it’s not my point here.
Kingsley-Hughes says he thinks this evolution isn’t necessarily a bad thing. To an extent I don’t either, but with a caveat.
Historically to most non-Linux users, Linux has been seen as the pinnacle of geekdom, reserved solely for the likes of programmers and hackers. To what degree this stereotype is based in fact is open to debate of course, but the end result is many people have been scared off use of free software because of the stigma of computational complexity.
What Ubuntu has done, both in its tagline “Linux for Human Beings”, and the solid user-friendly distro that accompanies it, is to enable free software and open source programs to spread more freely and easily outside the boundaries of the initiated by presenting a more palatable and tangible user experience of the sort that users of widespread proprietary software are accustomed to.
To the initiated this is almost certainly a double-edged sword however. For example, my father-in-law, who I believe uses Red Hat, sees Ubuntu as a somewhat Microsoft inspired distro (my paraphrasing, not his exact words), in which gloss and WYSIWYG interfaces have begun to overshadow the traditional terminal or command-line environment.
From his perspective, and other proficient users like him, I can see their point. However in the same breath I think it’s fair to say that they’re not likely to use Ubuntu. The niche this distro caters to is much more neophytic and far less experienced in the Linux realm. This is what is leading people to think Ubuntu and Linux are synonymous; even though they are quite different. It’s part of the learning curve.
As Kingsley-Hughes seems to imply, the fact this learning curve even exists is a sign of increasing interest in and recognition of Linux by non-Linux users. Personally, I don’t see this as being a bad thing. New users just need to be given time to grapple with the freedom that Linux offers, because it’s a brave new world for them.
Ultimately, if a core objective of the free software movement is to enlighten others to the collective idealism of the community, then the movement must seek to open doors to those users who may not be as adept in the more complex aspects of programming. This requires the provision of the sorts of introductory or transitional environments that Ubuntu has come to represent.
Ubuntu should not be seen as a watered down Linux distro, but as an entry point to the wider Linux realm.
References:
- Ubuntu Home Page
- “Is Ubuntu becoming the generic Linux distro?“, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, ZDNet Blogs, 2 April 2008
- “Linux distribution“, Wikipedia, quoted on 3 April 2008
Thursday, April 3rd, 2008